Without tinkering with passenger fares, Minister Suresh Prabhu presented his maiden budget for Indian Railways in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, promising to balance passenger needs and long-term interests of the organisation and benchmark it globally on quality, safety and reach.

Former railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal on Monday appeared in a Delhi court to depose as a prosecution witness in the Rs 10 crore cash-for-post railway bribery case in which his nephew is also an accused.

Former railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, who was summoned as a witness in the Rs 10 crore cash-for-post railway bribery case, on Tuesday sought exemption from personal appearance on health grounds before a special court.

Former Chief Minister and Congress candidate from Amritsar Amarinder Singh on Monday hit back at his BJP rival Arun Jaitley for questioning Congress giving tickets to some leaders against whom there are criminal allegations.

Despite the fact that the law doesn`t permit any convicted or former MP to stay in government accommodation, the RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has been given special privilege by the UPA to stay in a government bungalow at Delhi`s plush Lutyen`s zone till October 2014.

Former railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirron Kher, who are contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Chandigarh constituency, cast their votes in the city on Thursday.

On the eve of Narendra Modi`s visit to Chandigarh, BJP on Friday launched a scathing attack on Congress nominee and former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal over the issue of corruption and dared him to an open debate on the `cash-for-job` scandal.

Giving the clearest indication yet that Pawan Kumar Bansal would be its contestant of choice for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, Congress Thursday said that the purported "taint" on the former rail minister was all a matter of "speculation which has nothing to do with the truth".

Faced with a dilemma over handing tickets to leaders facing allegations of corruption, Congress on Wednesday gave indications that while former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal could be re-nominated from Chandigarh, Pune MP Suresh Kalmadi may not be fielded in the upcoming polls.